After a brief pause, prices of eggs, broiler chickens and vegetables have gone up again over the last week due to a supply shortage caused by heavy rainfall.

The price of farm chicken eggs has increased by Tk20-25 per dozen in a span of four days. The eggs are now selling for Tk145-150 a dozen.

Despite government measures to contain the market, prices of most essential products have gone up over the last month, according to government data.

Monitoring the markets of Newmarket, Uttara Azampur, Mohammadpur Townhall, and Mirpur, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) found that the prices of wheat flour, soybean oil, sugar, salt, and fish have increased further within a month.

The government is now planning to fix the prices of nine products, including edible oil, rice, and wheat flour, within the next seven days so that traders cannot make extra profit.

According to TCB, loose wheat flour price rose by 8.42% to Tk48-55 per kg while packaged flour price increased by 9.71% to Tk55-58 per kg. The prices of loose soybean oil rose by 3.23% to Tk175-177 per litre and bottled soybean oil increased by 1.3% to Tk185-195 a litre. Sugar price has increased by 5.71% to Tk90-95 per kg, packaged iodized salt price increased by 10.61% to Tk35-38 per kg, and beef is selling for Tk650-700 per kg, up by 1.5%.

Mohammad Harez, a salesman in Moghbazar Nayatola's Hriday General Store, said, "A dozen eggs now cost Tk150. "Earlier I used to buy 100 eggs wholesale for Tk1,050, which now costs Tk1,150."

Along with eggs, the price of broiler chickens has increased by Tk5 per kg within a week. Broiler chickens are selling for Tk175 per kg at Karwan Bazaar kitchen market and Pakistani cock variety chicken is selling for Tk320 a kg. The price of broiler chickens was even higher in other markets.

Ali Hossain, a salesperson at Yasin General Store in Karwan Bazar, said, "The miniket variety of rice is selling for Tk70 a kg, sugar Tk95 a kg, BR-28 rice Tk54-55, two-kg packet of wheat flour Tk110-115 a kg. Sales of commodities have declined by one-fourth due to the price hike."

Ashraf Hossain bought half a kg of tomatoes for Tk60, one kg Tilapia fish for Tk200, and two bundles of leafy greens [spinach] for Tk20 from Karwan Bazaar.

"I live in the Nakhalpara area of the capital. The products I used to buy for Tk1,000 some six months ago now cost Tk1,300. But my income has not increased. I can't eat chicken anymore. Rather I eat Tilapia fish but that too got costlier by Tk30 a kg," he said, adding that it is very difficult to run a family of 5 people with a monthly salary of Tk30,000.

Most vegetables, except potatoes and papaya, are now priced at Tk50 per kg. Vegetables such as pointed gourd, okra, and snake gourd are selling at this price. The price of eggplants is Tk100 a kg, and tomatoes Tk120.

Winter vegetable green beans are selling for Tk150 a kg. The price of green chillies was Tk50-70 a kg, potatoes Tk25-30. Onions were selling for Tk45-50 in Karwan Bazar.

Rezaul Karim, a vegetable seller in Karwan Bazar, said, "The prices of vegetables increase when it rains as fewer vegetables are picked from the field, resulting in low supply in the market."

Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) President Ghulam Rahman told The Business Standard, "There might be no relief for consumers until winter vegetables are fully available in the market. The government needs to improve the supply chain in the market to keep the prices of essential commodities stable. If prices rise in the international market, it can take action through tax adjustment or import at the government level."

At the National Press Club on Friday, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said the prices of nine products, including edible oil, rice, wheat flour, and eggs, will be fixed within the next seven days.

"Unreasonable hike in prices will not be allowed. Prices will be determined rationally so that dishonest traders cannot take advantage," he said.

When his attention was drawn to the instability of the egg market, the minister said, "The ministry will fix the price of eggs rationally by taking into consideration the cost of chicken feed, transportation and other costs."